More than 100 Muslims protested angrily Friday over the controversial east London anti-terror raid, expressing fury at alleged police brutality and Government oppression of the Islamic community. The demonstrators, prime among them the outspoken Islamic figure Anjem Choudary, gathered outside Forest Gate police station to voice their anger over police tactics and what they claim is their deliberate targeting of ordinary Muslims, the organizers said. But the family of the two brothers arrested during last Friday's raid in Lansdown Road expressed their opposition to the demonstration today, urging the local community not to give it their support.However, the protest continued as demonstrators waved placards emblazoned with a variety of anti-government and anti-police slogans, including "Stop police brutality," and "Blair: shoot first ask questions later." Orchestrated by the leaders of the demo, who took it in turn to address the protesters using a loud hailer, they chanted "British police go to hell" and used vile words against the British Prime Minister. Placards were waved and the chanting was forceful, but the demonstration was peaceful and there were no arrests, police said.
Many members of the area's Muslim community were clearly opposed to the protest, with some voicing their opposition and accusing the organizers of "making a bad situation even worse." As the chanting and placard waving outside the police station carried on loudly, just 100 yards away a cousin of the two brothers read a statement in which he said the protests would only serve to fuel the negative betrayal of the local community.
The cousin, who gave his name only as Enam, was speaking on behalf of Humeya Kalam, whose brothers Mohammed Abdul Kahar and Abul Koyair, are being questioned at London's high security Paddington Green police station. Urging people not to attend the protest, he said in the statement "This will only provide another opportunity for our community to be betrayed in a negative light. Consequently this will allow the police to inflict the same trauma that we have been through on another family."